 Honoring the Legacy of Courage and Sacrifice on December 7, 1941 Fredericksburg, TX – The National Museum of the Pacific War invites the public to join its annual Pearl Harbor Commemoration on Sunday, December 7, 2025, beginning at 11:55 a.m. in the Memorial Courtyard. The program honors the thousands who were killed or injured during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and pays tribute to the enduring spirit of service that followed. The ceremony will open with a wreath-laying at the Pearl Harbor Wall, followed by remarks from the Museum’s CEO. Special guest speaker Gary B. Laine, DDS, will present “USS Arizona: The Legacy and the Legend,” a reflection on the iconic ship and the men who served aboard her on that fateful day. The presentation will include stories of three of the last surviving shipmates and an exploration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s historic Declaration of War address. Following Dr. Laine’s presentation, Cece Otto will perform a musical tribute honoring the memory of Pearl Harbor and those who served. Attendees will be invited to place flags around the Memorial Courtyard in remembrance. Pearl Harbor Commemoration
Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025
Time: 11:55 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Memorial Courtyard, National Museum of the Pacific War
Admission: Free and open to the public For more information, visit: https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/event/pearl-harbor-commemoration-2 About the Speaker Gary B. Laine, DDS Dr. Laine served in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps at Naval Station San Diego during the Vietnam era from 1973–1975. His father also served as a Navy dentist during World War II and the Korean War, while his uncle flew with the 8th Air Force’s 486th Bomb Group. Dr. Laine has been a board member with the San Francisco Bay Area Honor Flight since 2019 and has dedicated years to interviewing and recording World War II veterans’ stories for posterity. # # # About the Admiral Nimitz Foundation The Admiral Nimitz Foundation was established in 1971 as a 501(c)(3) Texas Corporation to provide additional development funding for the Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Naval Museum, a museum honoring Fredericksburg’s native son and Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces, Pacific Ocean Area. The sole purpose of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation is to raise funds for the National Museum of the Pacific War and to manage its operation. About the National Museum of the Pacific War The National Museum of the Pacific War (NMPW), founded in 1967, is the only institution in the continental United States dedicated exclusively to telling the story of the Pacific and Asiatic Theaters in World War II. The Museum annually welcomes more than 120,000 visitors, including at least 15,000 students from across the state. The museum sits on six acres in downtown Fredericksburg, Texas featuring three galleries with more than 55,000 square feet of exhibit space, 40 media installations, approximately 900 artifacts, 15 macro-artifacts, and hundreds of photographs. The Museum is a Texas Historical Commission Property, managed and supported by The Admiral Nimitz Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, visit http://www.pacificwarmuseum.org. Follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Smithsonian Affiliations Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums, educational, and cultural organizations to share Smithsonian collections, build collaborative networks, and engage learners of all ages with Smithsonian resources. More information is available at www.affiliations.si.edu. | 